Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) Program, 5723-5724 [2019-03003]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 36 / Friday, February 22, 2019 / Notices
(7) days in advance of the meeting.
Registrations will be accepted on a
space available basis. Access to the
meeting will not be allowed without
registration. All attendees will be
required to sign in at the meeting
registration desk. Please bring photo
identification and allow extra time prior
to the meeting.
Anyone requiring special
accommodations should notify Ms.
Trautman at least seven (7) days in
advance of the meeting.
Purpose: The GAC will act as the focal
point for justice information systems
integration activities in order to
facilitate the coordination of technical,
funding, and legislative strategies in
support of the Administration’s justice
priorities.
The GAC will guide and monitor the
development of the Global information
sharing concept. It will advise the
Director of the Bureau of Justice
Assistance; the Principal Deputy
Assistant Attorney General, OJP; the
Attorney General; the President
(through the Attorney General); and
local, state, tribal, and federal
policymakers in the executive,
legislative, and judicial branches. The
GAC will also advocate for strategies for
accomplishing a Global information
sharing capability.
Interested persons whose registrations
have been accepted may be permitted to
participate in the discussions at the
discretion of the meeting chairman and
with approval of the DFO.
Tracey Trautman,
Global DFO, Deputy Director, Bureau of
Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs,
U.S. Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2019–03046 Filed 2–21–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410–18–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training
Administration
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Comment Request; Benefit
Accuracy Measurement (BAM)
Program
ACTION:
Notice.
The Department of Labor’s
(DOL’s) Employment and Training
Administration (ETA) is soliciting
comments concerning a proposed
extension for the authority to conduct
the information collection request (ICR)
titled, ‘‘Benefit Accuracy Measurement
(BAM) Program.’’ This comment request
is part of continuing Departmental
efforts to reduce paperwork and
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:52 Feb 21, 2019
Jkt 247001
respondent burden in accordance with
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA).
Consideration will be given to all
written comments received by April 23,
2019.
ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with
applicable supporting documentation,
including a description of the likely
respondents, proposed frequency of
response, and estimated total burden,
may be obtained free by contacting
Dennis Austin by telephone at 202–693–
3056, TTY 1–877–889–5627 (these are
not toll-free numbers), or by email at
Austin.Dennis@dol.gov.
Submit written comments about or
requests for a copy of this ICR by mail
or courier to the U.S. Department of
Labor, Employment and Training
Administration, Office of
Unemployment Insurance, Room
S–4520, 200 Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20210, by email at
Austin.Dennis@dol.gov, or by Fax at
202–693–3975.
DATES:
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).
As part of
continuing efforts to reduce paperwork
and respondent burden, DOL conducts
a pre-clearance consultation program to
provide the general public and Federal
agencies an opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing collections
of information before submitting them
to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for final approval. This program
helps to ensure requested data is
provided in the desired format,
reporting burden (time and financial
resources) is minimized, collection
instruments are clearly understood, and
the impact of collection requirements
can be properly assessed.
Since 1987, all State Workforce
Agencies (SWAs), except the U.S. Virgin
Islands, have been required by
regulation at 20 CFR part 602 to operate
BAM programs to assess the accuracy of
their unemployment insurance (UI)
benefit payments in three programs:
State UI, Unemployment Compensation
for Federal Employees (UCFE), and
Unemployment Compensation for Exservicemembers (UCX). Beginning in
2001, BAM was modified to include the
sampling and investigation of UI claims
denied for monetary, separation, or
nonseparation issues.
BAM is one of the tools DOL uses to
measure and reduce waste, fraud, and
abuse in the UI program. By
investigating small representative
weekly samples of both paid and denied
UI claims, each SWA is able to estimate
reliably the number and dollar value of
proper and improper payments; the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
Frm 00064
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
5723
number of proper and improper denials
of claims for UI benefits; the rates of
occurrence of these proper and
improper payments and denials; and the
error types, error causes, and the parties
that are responsible for the errors.
Paid Claims Accuracy. Each week,
SWAs select random samples of both
intrastate and interstate original
payments (including combined wage
claims) made for a week of UI benefits
under the State UI, UCX, and UCFE
programs. A sample of 360 cases per
year are pulled in the 10 SWAs with the
smallest UI program workloads (defined
as the average annual UI weeks paid
during the last five years) and 480 cases
per year in the other SWA. SWA BAM
staff audit each selected claim,
examining all aspects of a claimant’s
eligibility to receive UI benefits during
the sampled week. The findings are
entered into an automated database that
is maintained on a computer located in
each SWA.
Denied Claims Accuracy (DCA). Each
week, SWAs select random samples
from three separate sampling frames
constructed from the universes of UI
claims for which eligibility was denied
for monetary, separation, and
nonseparation reasons. All SWAs
sample a minimum of 150 cases of each
denial type in each calendar year.
SWAs’ BAM staff members review
agency records and contact claimants,
employers, and all other relevant parties
to verify information in agency records
or obtain additional information
pertinent to the determination that
denied eligibility for UI benefits. Unlike
the investigation of paid claims, in
which all prior determinations affecting
claimant eligibility for the compensated
week selected for the sample are
evaluated, the investigation of denied
claims is limited to the issue upon
which the denial determination is
based. The findings are entered into an
automated database that is maintained
on a computer located in each SWA.
DOL maintains a database of each
SWA’s BAM paid and denied claims
cases, minus any personally identifying
information. DOL uses BAM data to
measure SWA performance with respect
to UI payment integrity and to meet the
DOL’s reporting requirements of the
Improper Payments Information Act of
2002 (IPIA), the Improper Payments
Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010,
and the Government Performance and
Results Act. DOL also relies heavily on
BAM data for information on UI
operations, such as claims filing
method, UI wage replacement rates, and
claimant characteristics. The results of
the BAM survey are reported annually
on the ETA website at the following
E:\FR\FM\22FEN1.SGM
22FEN1
5724
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 36 / Friday, February 22, 2019 / Notices
link: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/
bqc.asp. The Improper Payments
Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010
(31 U.S.C. 3321) authorizes this
information collection.
This information collection is subject
to the PRA. A Federal agency generally
cannot conduct or sponsor a collection
of information, and the public is
generally not required to respond to an
information collection, unless it is
approved by OMB under the PRA and
displays a currently valid OMB Control
Number. In addition, notwithstanding
any other provisions of law, no person
shall generally be subject to penalty for
failing to comply with a collection of
information that does not display a
valid Control Number. See 5 CFR
1320.5(a) and 1320.6.
Interested parties are encouraged to
provide comments to the contact shown
in the ADDRESSES section. Comments
must be written to receive
consideration, and they will be
summarized and included in the request
for OMB approval of the final ICR. In
order to help ensure appropriate
consideration, comments should
mention OMB control number 1205–
0245.
Submitted comments will also be a
matter of public record for this ICR and
posted on the internet, without
redaction. DOL encourages commenters
not to include personally identifiable
information, confidential business data,
or other sensitive statements/
information in any comments.
DOL is particularly interested in
comments that:
• Evaluate whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility;
• evaluate the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
• enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
• minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including through the
use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology,
e.g., permitting electronic submission of
responses.
Agency: DOL–ETA.
Type of Review: Extension without
changes.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:52 Feb 21, 2019
Jkt 247001
Title of Collection: Unemployment
Insurance Benefit Accuracy
Measurement.
Form: BAM State Operations
Handbook (ET Handbook 395, 5th
edition).
OMB Control Number: 1205–0245.
Affected Public: State Workforce
Agencies (Primary), individuals,
businesses, and not-for-profit
institutions.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
117,962.
Frequency: Varies.
Total Estimated Annual Responses:
165,074.
Estimated Average Time per
Response: Varies.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 535,312.
Total Estimated Annual Other Cost
Burden: $0.
Molly E. Conway,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment
and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2019–03003 Filed 2–21–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–FW–P
I. Background
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
[OMB Control No. 1219–0065]
Proposed Extension of Information
Collection; Petitions for Modification of
Mandatory Safety Standards
Mine Safety and Health
Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
AGENCY:
The Department of Labor, as
part of its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork and respondent burden,
conducts a pre-clearance consultation
program to provide the general public
and Federal agencies with an
opportunity to comment on proposed
collections of information in accordance
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995. This program helps to ensure that
requested data can be provided in the
desired format, reporting burden (time
and financial resources) is minimized,
collection instruments are clearly
understood, and the impact of collection
requirements on respondents can be
properly assessed. Currently, the Mine
Safety and Health Administration
(MSHA) is soliciting comments on the
information collection for Petitions for
Modification of Mandatory Safety
Standards.
SUMMARY:
All comments must be received
on or before April 23, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Comments concerning the
information collection requirements of
DATES:
PO 00000
Frm 00065
Fmt 4703
this notice may be sent by any of the
methods listed below.
• Federal E-Rulemaking Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
on-line instructions for submitting
comments for docket number MSHA–
2018–0043.
• Regular Mail: Send comments to
USDOL–MSHA, Office of Standards,
Regulations, and Variances, 201 12th
Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington,
VA 22202–5452.
• Hand Delivery: USDOL-Mine Safety
and Health Administration, 201 12th
Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington,
VA 22202–5452. Sign in at the
receptionist’s desk on the 4th floor via
the East elevator.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sheila McConnell, Director, Office of
Standards, Regulations, and Variances,
MSHA, at
MSHA.information.collections@dol.gov
(email); (202) 693–9440 (voice); or (202)
693–9441 (facsimile).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Sfmt 4703
Section 101(c), of the Federal Mine
Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine
Act), 30 U.S.C. Section 811(c), provides
that a mine operator or a representative
of miners may petition the Secretary of
Labor (Secretary) to modify the
application of a mandatory safety
standard. A petition for modification
may be granted if the Secretary
determines (1) that an alternative
method of achieving the result of such
standard exists which will at all times
guarantee no less than the same measure
of protection afforded the miners of
such mine by such standard, or (2) that
the application of such standard to such
mine will result in a diminution of
safety to the miners in such mine.
Under 30 CFR 44.9, mine operators
must post a copy of each petition for
modification concerning the mine on
the mine’s bulletin board and maintain
the posting until a ruling on the petition
becomes final. This applies only to
mines for which there is no
representative of miners.
Under 30 CFR 44.10, detailed
guidance for filing a petition for
modification is provided for the
operator of the affected mine or any
representative of the miners at that
mine. The petition must be in writing,
filed with the Director, Office of
Standards, Regulations and Variances,
and a copy of the petition served by the
filing party (the mine operator or
representative of miners) on the other
party.
Under 30 CFR 44.11(a), the petition
for modification must contain the
E:\FR\FM\22FEN1.SGM
22FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 36 (Friday, February 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5723-5724]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-03003]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request;
Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) Program
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Labor's (DOL's) Employment and Training
Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed
extension for the authority to conduct the information collection
request (ICR) titled, ``Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) Program.''
This comment request is part of continuing Departmental efforts to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).
DATES: Consideration will be given to all written comments received by
April 23, 2019.
ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation,
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency
of response, and estimated total burden, may be obtained free by
contacting Dennis Austin by telephone at 202-693-3056, TTY 1-877-889-
5627 (these are not toll-free numbers), or by email at
Austin.Dennis@dol.gov.
Submit written comments about or requests for a copy of this ICR by
mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and
Training Administration, Office of Unemployment Insurance, Room S-4520,
200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210, by email at
Austin.Dennis@dol.gov, or by Fax at 202-693-3975.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of continuing efforts to reduce
paperwork and respondent burden, DOL conducts a pre-clearance
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies
an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of
information before submitting them to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for final approval. This program helps to ensure requested
data is provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and
financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly
understood, and the impact of collection requirements can be properly
assessed.
Since 1987, all State Workforce Agencies (SWAs), except the U.S.
Virgin Islands, have been required by regulation at 20 CFR part 602 to
operate BAM programs to assess the accuracy of their unemployment
insurance (UI) benefit payments in three programs: State UI,
Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE), and
Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers (UCX). Beginning in
2001, BAM was modified to include the sampling and investigation of UI
claims denied for monetary, separation, or nonseparation issues.
BAM is one of the tools DOL uses to measure and reduce waste,
fraud, and abuse in the UI program. By investigating small
representative weekly samples of both paid and denied UI claims, each
SWA is able to estimate reliably the number and dollar value of proper
and improper payments; the number of proper and improper denials of
claims for UI benefits; the rates of occurrence of these proper and
improper payments and denials; and the error types, error causes, and
the parties that are responsible for the errors.
Paid Claims Accuracy. Each week, SWAs select random samples of both
intrastate and interstate original payments (including combined wage
claims) made for a week of UI benefits under the State UI, UCX, and
UCFE programs. A sample of 360 cases per year are pulled in the 10 SWAs
with the smallest UI program workloads (defined as the average annual
UI weeks paid during the last five years) and 480 cases per year in the
other SWA. SWA BAM staff audit each selected claim, examining all
aspects of a claimant's eligibility to receive UI benefits during the
sampled week. The findings are entered into an automated database that
is maintained on a computer located in each SWA.
Denied Claims Accuracy (DCA). Each week, SWAs select random samples
from three separate sampling frames constructed from the universes of
UI claims for which eligibility was denied for monetary, separation,
and nonseparation reasons. All SWAs sample a minimum of 150 cases of
each denial type in each calendar year. SWAs' BAM staff members review
agency records and contact claimants, employers, and all other relevant
parties to verify information in agency records or obtain additional
information pertinent to the determination that denied eligibility for
UI benefits. Unlike the investigation of paid claims, in which all
prior determinations affecting claimant eligibility for the compensated
week selected for the sample are evaluated, the investigation of denied
claims is limited to the issue upon which the denial determination is
based. The findings are entered into an automated database that is
maintained on a computer located in each SWA.
DOL maintains a database of each SWA's BAM paid and denied claims
cases, minus any personally identifying information. DOL uses BAM data
to measure SWA performance with respect to UI payment integrity and to
meet the DOL's reporting requirements of the Improper Payments
Information Act of 2002 (IPIA), the Improper Payments Elimination and
Recovery Act of 2010, and the Government Performance and Results Act.
DOL also relies heavily on BAM data for information on UI operations,
such as claims filing method, UI wage replacement rates, and claimant
characteristics. The results of the BAM survey are reported annually on
the ETA website at the following
[[Page 5724]]
link: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/bqc.asp. The Improper Payments
Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010 (31 U.S.C. 3321) authorizes this
information collection.
This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and
the public is generally not required to respond to an information
collection, unless it is approved by OMB under the PRA and displays a
currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and
1320.6.
Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments to the
contact shown in the ADDRESSES section. Comments must be written to
receive consideration, and they will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval of the final ICR. In order to help ensure
appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB control number
1205-0245.
Submitted comments will also be a matter of public record for this
ICR and posted on the internet, without redaction. DOL encourages
commenters not to include personally identifiable information,
confidential business data, or other sensitive statements/information
in any comments.
DOL is particularly interested in comments that:
Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submission of responses.
Agency: DOL-ETA.
Type of Review: Extension without changes.
Title of Collection: Unemployment Insurance Benefit Accuracy
Measurement.
Form: BAM State Operations Handbook (ET Handbook 395, 5th edition).
OMB Control Number: 1205-0245.
Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies (Primary), individuals,
businesses, and not-for-profit institutions.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 117,962.
Frequency: Varies.
Total Estimated Annual Responses: 165,074.
Estimated Average Time per Response: Varies.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 535,312.
Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.
Molly E. Conway,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2019-03003 Filed 2-21-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FW-P
